Diary

Logbook Kitigan Zibi - DAY 18

19 September 2014
// Wapikoni Mobile

It’s a beautiful day today in Kitigan Zibi. A bit frisky but the sun is shining and the leaves are turning orange, perfect setting for our morning shoot. As filmmakers mentors Phil and Clark are reminding Russell how to operate the boom and record sound, Deedee and her friends are getting ready for their shoot : hair braided, moccasins and regalia on, making sure nothing will fall off of them when they start dancing. Deedee is back to the Wapikoni Mobile this year but this time she paired up with Christina Decontie to make a film about the jingle dress and its healing properties. She herself picked up the dance a few years back after an open-heart surgery.

Back to the trailer a few hours later… Hailey just got off the school bus, she’s here to show us the edits she made to the narration of her film. From the first day we arrived, we were told by the school’s principal that she was a Youth we should collaborate with. She is shy but her words are powerful, many say she will be a leader of the people someday. Hailey is doing a film about what is happening to the land where she grew up, unceeded Anishnabe territory, and how the deforestation and mining are affecting the way of life of the Anishnabe people.

James – aka Zicks – drops by too. His first film shoot took place two evenings ago: him on his bike racing against the sunset, while the rest of the film crew operating the three cameras on the back of a pickup. Zicks has been cycling for some time and would like to cross Canada next year to raise awareness on the situation of the Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women. Two young women, Maizy and Shannon, actually disappeared from Kitigan Zibi six years ago... A film was made about them five years ago. Through cycling, Zicks offers his perspective on loss, grief and moving forward.

Two more films are in development but we’ll save the details for next diary entry :)